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(Kids Corner) Three Great Rocking-Chair Picture Books

Published on September 29, 2012 | 7 Responses

One great thing about having a little baby is the cuddling. Not to say that Raisin doesn’t cuddle with me every now and then, but Strawberry is just the right size for a sweet cuddle in my arms as we rock in the chair.

Many times when I try to read to Strawberry, she tries to grab the book and eat it. This is pretty normal, since seven months old is just the age of chewing on everything in site. But occasionally, as I mentioned before, Strawberry really loves to listen to my voice, cuddle into my arms, and listen to what I’m saying. A few of the books are favorites of mine for such moments because they are especially wonderfully for rocking back and forth in a rocking chair. (more…)

Pride and Prejudice Revisited

Published on July 20, 2012 | 7 Responses

I first read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) as a young teenager. Like many girls, I loved the romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, the clever conversation, and the rags to riches aspects of the Bennet’s story. I’ve reread it a number of times since my first encounter, and I’ve also enjoyed the movie retellings. I was excited for the chance to discuss this favorite novel in a book group discussion format. (more…)

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Brief Thoughts on a Reread)

Published on October 12, 2011 | 32 Responses

The first time I experienced Wilkie Collins’s masterpiece two years ago (gushing positive thoughts here), it was via an amateur audiobook recording at Librivox and it took me more than a month. I loved the unknown suspense as I tried to anticipate what was coming, I loved the plot, I loved the well developed characters, and the recording was very well done, especially considering it was amateurs.

On this reread, I started it at a similar leisurely pace but then I could not put it down and I read the last three hundred pages in one day (I love leisurely weekends!). I felt compelled to keep turning pages because, let’s face it, The Woman in White (published 1859) has wonderful pacing, a great plot, and characters that one can’t help but love (and love to hate). Because I already had read this book before, I knew what was coming. I did not wonder about the mysteries as I read this time. Rereading it was delightful because I could see even better how Wilkie Collins managed to accomplish his purposes. Although this read didn’t have the element of the unknown, it did have the familiarity of the characters

Because I am a huge fan of rereading, I do want to note here that on this particular reread I came to better appreciate the non-spoiler crowd out there. Because I knew what was coming, the book didn’t have the emotional surprise that it had on my first read. I couldn’t put it down because I did know the twists and surprises that were coming and I wanted to read until That Part time and again, but at the same time, I already knew it. It was no longer a surprise. If there is a book I wish I could read again for the first time (this week’s Top Ten Tuesday question) , The Woman in White would have to be it.

The fall season is perfect for reading The Woman in White because the book has graveyard scenes, scenes on misty London roads, and mysterious secrets to discover.

If you haven’t read it yet, I am very jealous. Enjoy!

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (Brief Thoughts on a Reread)

Published on June 16, 2011 | 27 Responses

Yesterday evening I returned home from my classics book club meeting very sad. We read Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, and when I last read it, I remember wishing I could read and discuss with other classics readers. My classics reading group (last year, a total of four of us) agreed to give it a try this year.

Alas, the people in my group, different people from those who gave input on this years’ books, were nothing but scathing in their thoughts of Mrs Dalloway. It was too much work, there were no chapters, nothing happened, the characters were flat and boring (!). In short, they got nothing out of it.

I can relate to that feeling. I recently read The Red Badge of Courage and felt only joy when it ended because I was not enjoying it at all. But this was particularly hard since I so enjoyed my reread.

This post contains thematic spoilers for Mrs Dalloway.

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Kid’s Corner: Richard Scarry and Busytown

Published on April 26, 2011 | 3 Responses

From the moment he awakens in the morning, Raisin’s best friends are by his side.

They live in Busytown, which is sometimes directly above our house and other times underground, where it snows in April. Goldbug is his best friend (sometimes he is Raisin’s brother), with Huckle, Sally, and Hilda Hippo frequently joining the two of them for birthday parties, and games of “Go Fish.”

I remember loving Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things that Go as a child, and Raisin takes after me. Ever since I got the book for him for his second birthday, Raisin’s enjoyed looking for little Goldbug on every page. The story is a long one, so we don’t always read every page. Because each page is independent of the page before it, it’s easy to skip pages without a discerning toddler or preschooler getting upset. We both love finding the silly things, like the pencil car and a ketchup truck . We tut-tut Dingo Dog’s crazy driving, and wonder will Officer Flossy will ever catch up to him?